The invention relates to a device for electrocuting insects, comprising an open housing accommodating
a low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp having a folded discharge path,
an electric ballast electrically connected to the discharge lamp,
a first and, electrically separated therefrom, a second assembly of electrically conducting wires surrounding the discharge lamp,
a high-voltage generator having input and output terminals whose output terminals are connected to a respective assembly.
A device of the type described is known from British Patent Specification 1,456,477.
In the known device the assemblies of electrically conducting wires consist of two mutually coaxially arranged cylindrical grids of metal gauze with an air gap in between. The grids function as electrodes between which a high voltage difference is created by means of a transformer. If insects, attracted by radiation emitted by the low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp, move to the lamp and enter the air gap, they are electrocuted due to contact with the two grids. Investigations have shown that insects are particularly attracted by radiation in an ultraviolet range of the spectrum (320-380 nm).
A drawback of the known device is that special mechanical securing means are required to install the device. Moreover, a suitable place must always be found to suspend the device, for example to a ceiling or on a wall. The choice of the suspension location is limited because a socket must be in the vicinity of the device so as to enable it to be connected to the mains.